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Electrochemical cells, and related energy storage devices

a technology of electrochemical cells and energy storage devices, applied in secondary cells, cell seperators/membranes/diaphragms/spacers, cell components, etc., can solve the problems of limiting the cell life, damage to the separator, and unreliability of the separator, so as to improve the thermal and electrical management

Active Publication Date: 2016-06-07
GENERAL ELECTRIC CO
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides an electrochemical cell with a unique structure that improves its performance. The cell includes a housing with a polygonal base and an ion-conducting separator that extends in a vertical direction relative to the base. The separator has a first circumferential surface and a plurality of lobe portions and valley portions that align with the corner regions of the housing. The cell also includes a plurality of double-shim structures that are positioned between the interior surface of the housing and the first circumferential surface of the separator. This structure helps to improve the performance of the electrochemical cell and provides an energy storage device with a plurality of cells that are in thermal and electrical communication with each other.

Problems solved by technology

A number of factors can affect performance and limit the cell life.
The primary factor may be unreliability of a separator.
It should be noted that thermal cycling, pressure differential, sodium-wicking and vibrations in the cell during use, may damage the separator in some circumstances.
The damaged separator may lead to a large thermal excursion which, in turn, causes corrosion of the cell casing (e.g. a steel casing).
In some cells, the cell casing corrodes.
The corroded cell casing can allow the cell's chemical components to breach the casing, which can short out the entire battery.
However, the currently available designs are not suitable to address these functions effectively.

Method used

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  • Electrochemical cells, and related energy storage devices
  • Electrochemical cells, and related energy storage devices
  • Electrochemical cells, and related energy storage devices

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

[0071]4 single-shim structures were manufactured from 4.8 cm×19.8 cm×0.1 mm steel sheets. The steel sheets were coated with nickel on both sides. The thickness of the coating was about 2 microns. The sheets were designed in a particular shape (as described in some of the above exemplary embodiments, and shown in FIG. 3), by stamping.

example 2

[0072]8 shims of the same shape and size were formed, as described in example 1. Four double-shim structures were constructed by sliding two shims together, so that the two shims were in parallel contact with each other, fully overlapping each other.

example 3

[0073]2 sodium-nickel-chloride cells; cell 1 and cell 2, were used for measuring the temperature profile within the cells, using single-shim structures (example 1) and double-shim structures (example 2), respectively. The cells used a beta″-alumina separator, and had same design as described for FIGS. 3 and 4. Four single-shim structures of example 1; and four double-shim structures of example 2, were assembled in close proximity to the separator within the cell 1 and cell 2, respectively. The shims were wrapped around the separator by arranging a single-shim structure or a double-shim structure, per lobe of the separator. Temperature profiles of the cells were measured using multiple thermocouples. FIG. 9 shows temperature profiles for cell 1 and cell 2. It is clear from the graph that the temperature pattern of cell 2 is lower than that of cell 1, demonstrating improved thermal management.

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Abstract

An electrochemical cell is presented. The cell includes a housing having an interior surface defining a volume, and an elongated, ion-conducting separator disposed in the volume. The separator usually extends in a vertical direction relative to a base of the housing, so as to define a height dimension of the cell. The separator has a first circumferential surface defining a portion of a first compartment. The cell further includes a shim structure disposed generally parallel to the first circumferential surface of the separator between the interior surface and the first circumferential surface of the separator. The structure includes at least two shims, a first shim and a second shim, that substantially overlap each other. An energy storage device including such an electrochemical cell is also provided.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application No. 13 / 173,320, entitled “ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS, AND RELATED DEVICES,” filed on Jun. 30, 2011, which is herein incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]The invention relates generally to an electrochemical cell, and in some specific embodiments, to a high-temperature, rechargeable electrochemical cell, and related devices.[0003]A battery is an essential component used to store a portion of the energy in mobile systems such as electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles and non-vehicles (for example locomotives, off-highway mining vehicles, marine applications, buses and automobiles), and for stationary applications such as uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems and “Telecom” (telecommunication systems). The high-temperature sodium-metal halide electrochemical cells are generally targeted for use in locomotives; telecommunication, and uninterruptible power supply (U...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Patents(United States)
IPC IPC(8): H01M2/14H01M10/39H01M2/18H01M10/617H01M2/16H01M10/42H01M50/466
CPCH01M2/14H01M2/18H01M10/39H01M10/3909H01M10/617H01M2/1646H01M10/4235Y02E60/10H01M50/466
Inventor ZAPPI, GUILLERMO DANIELRAHMANE, MOHAMEDWINKLER, BENJAMIN HALESUDWORTH, JAMES LOWEBULL, ROGER NEILIACOVANGELO, CHARLES DOMINIC
Owner GENERAL ELECTRIC CO